Terry sadly passed away on Sunday 11th April 2021.

Terry was at the School from 1949-1955 and in later years was heavily involved with the Old Ipswichian community including serving as Chairman of the OI Committee from 1999-2001. Terry will be sadly missed by his friends and family.

We are conscious that many people from this time at school may not be in contact with us and we would be very grateful if you could pass on this information to those that you know.

As is the usual practice, we would like to place an obituary for him in the next OI Journal and would be very grateful if anyone felt they could come forward to write one. Or if you have any stories or memories of Terry that you would like to share please pass them on so we can put them together for publication.

Please address any contributions to me through oldipswichians@ipswich.school. All obituaries received will be checked and added to this page to respectfully remember Terry. 

With best wishes

Iain Chesterman
OI Chairman

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Terry Cracknell News & Pictures

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David Coe (OI 1945-54) writes:

Terry sadly died in April 2021 aged 83.  He was at the School for six years. Joining during the School year when his parents moved to Ipswich. 

He straight away made his presence felt on the cricket field.  During the next years, he made his strong personality known and a long-term friendship developed which lasted over seventy years. Contact was always maintained over the period of time when he returned to the area. 

Like myself, he had no particular academic ability or desires and we ended up in the same class throughout our time. He was good at sport and represented the School at all age levels and as the years progressed won his colours for all major sports and was Vice-Captain of Hockey.

He came on a couple of School Ski trips with George Notcutt. Not something he carried on with and I expect due to some really spectacular crashes. Terry’s personality and skiing did not always necessarily go together.

When he left Ipswich School he spent some time in America and then entered SEALE HAYNE Agricultural College and during this period became their Victor Luodorun whilst there.

Leaving Agricultural College, he eventually returned to Ipswich working for R&W Paul and after a time became their National Pig, Poultry and Cattle Food Marketing Executive. 

He moved on to manage their retail arm based in Norfolk and later changed jobs to work for the Eastern Counties Farmers.

He set up with his wife Marion, a working pig farm at Poplar Farm, and moved to self-employment in 1974. He also managed pig farms for other people. Whilst they were at Poplar Farm, he and Marion had three daughters but split up at a later date but remained friends for the rest of their lives. His huge personality and energy involved him in all sorts of causes and workplaces during his life. Captain of Diss Rugby Club and long-term involvement, East Harling Cricket Club, Member of the Worship Company of Farmers.  Enthusiastically involved in activities in Old Buckenham where he lived for years.  Chairing the OI Club and arranging several changes, his support for the OIs was continuous.

In 1994 the pig industry collapsed and nearly Terry’s finances with it, but with his personality, he rolled up his sleeves and survived. He developed his pig units into poultry sheds and rented them out to big producers. He also went into property development.

On his 70th birthday, he arranged what was an unforgettable birthday party. It was held in a marquee with some 150 friends assembled. We were all there getting on with the meal and no sign of Terry and it was rumoured that he was going to appear using a helicopter to arrive in style. In fact, a video of him in hospital eventually welcomed us and he was there because of the start of his heart problems and would not be at the party at all. Typical Terry, the function went ahead and never to be forgotten.

After overcoming that he suffered a loss when his long-term partner Bridget died. 

He phoned me from his hospital bed to say goodbye as the doctors had put him on palliative care and he was not expected to survive. 

In his passing the Old Ipswichian’s have lost a determined supporter and a good friend.

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Jeremy Barr (OI 1946-56) writes:

I am sad to hear that Terry has died.  We shared many things together during our time at Ipswich school and I remember him as stocky and strong.  Although shorter than me we boxed at the same weight and fought each other in the inter-house tournament in 1955.  He packed quite a punch and my style was less skillful but relied on wearing my opponent down through a whirlwind of punches.  I approached that contest with rather more caution than normal and he won.

He was a tough scrum-half in the 1st XV  but left school at the end of 1955 to travel to the USA so we missed his services in the Rosslyn Park 7s the following April.  We met briefly on a few occasions in subsequent years.

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Canon Cedric Catton (OI 1943-55) writes:

It was very sad news to read that Terry had died. He and I were at School together, and, he was a great friend to me, and, we had much fun together over the years. 

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